how to make furniture lovely + shiny

We have been working hard to make the baby's room wonderful. We are also still very cheap. This was the look of the furniture before Philip made it beautiful and shiny and white. 

The changing table was purchased for $10 at the Thrift Store. The dresser was $75 from our favorite antique store in Norfolk - Country Boy.

Here's what he did: 

1. Strip the dresser with paint stripper
2. Light sanding
3. Oil-based primer, then lightly sanded (repeat 2x)
4. Two coats of high gloss paint
5. Two coats of water based polyurethane

...I am grateful that he is super patient because that is a lot of painting & waiting, but we love the final product!

Only a few more things to do. Hopefully we will be ready for him when he is ready!

Baby to do list...

Almost 36 weeks! It's hard to believe. I have been overwhelmed with things to do around the house and to get ready for the baby. Well maybe not overwhelmed, but I just tire easily...

Here is my remaining baby to do list (that I have thought of)...

• Hang pictures in nursery
• Find a Pediatrician (Decide on vaccines)
• Pack our hospital bag
• Finish thoughts on our birth plan
• Get any final things off the registry that we will need
• Find a glider/rocker (thinking about reupholstering an older sitting chair that rocks...)
• Keep the house clean for the baby's arrival!

But here's the good news. We have made some real progress on the nursery.

We fortunately kept the room the same color it was originally which saved us a lot of time! 

Philip paint this white & did an awesome job. He did a primer, 2 coats of paint and 2 coats of polyurethane to make it nice and shiny. I lined it with cute polka dot contact paper. 

Lots of baby clothes! However, they are for his first year of life...so we have a nice variety of sizes. 

Our adorable bedding and crib with the chinese lantern in the bed until we hang it...